ET. 37.]

MARK YONDER POMP.

181

The polished jewel's blaze

May draw the wondering gaze,

And courtly grandeur bright

The fancy may delight,

But never, never can come near the heart.

But did you see my dearest Chloris,
In simplicity's array;

Lovely as yonder sweet opening flower is,
Shrinking from the gaze of day;-
Oh then, the heart alarming,

And all resistless charming,

In Love's delightful fetters she chains the willing soul!

Ambition would disown

The world's imperial crown,

Even Avarice would deny

His worshipped deity,

And feel through every vein Love's raptures

roll.

May, 1795.

FORLORN, MY LOVE, NO COMFORT NEAR.

TUNE-Let me in this ae Night.

FORLORN, my love, no comfort near,
Far, far from thee, I wander here;
Far, far from thee, the fate severe
At which I most repine, love.

CHORUS.

Oh, wert thou, love, but near me,
But near, near, near me,

How kindly thou wouldst cheer me,
And mingle sighs with mine, love!

Around me scowls a wintry sky,
That blasts each bud of hope and joy;
And shelter, shade, nor home have I,
Save in those arms of thine, love.

Cold, altered Friendship's cruel part,
To poison Fortune's ruthless dart
Let me not break thy faithful heart,

And say that fate is mine, love.

ET. 37.1 LAST MAY A BRAW WOOER.

But dreary though the moments fleet,
Oh, let me think we yet shall meet!
That only ray of solace sweet

Can on thy Chloris shine, love.

183

And sair wi' his love he did deave me ;

deafen

I said there was naething I hated like men; The deuce gae wi'm to believe me, believe

me;

The deuce gae wi'm to believe me!

He spak o' the darts o' my bonny black e'en, And vowed for my love he was dying;

I said he might die when he liked for Jean; The Lord forgie me for lying, for lying; The Lord forgie me for lying!

A well-stocked mailen - himsel' for the farm

laird

And marriage aff-hand, were his proffers;

I never loot on that I kenned it, or cared, let But thought I might hae waur offers, waur worse offers;

But thought I might hae waur offers.

But what wad ye think? - in a fortnight or less,

The dei tak his taste to gae near her! He up the Gateslack to my black cousin Bess, Guess ye how, the jad! I could bear her, could bear her;

Guess ye how, the jad! I could bear her!

But a' the niest week as I fretted wi' care, next
I gaed to the tryste o' Dalgarnock, market, fair
And wha but my fine fickle lover was there!
I glowred as I'd seen a warlock, a

warlock;

I glowred as I'd seen a warlock.

stared

But owre my left shouther I gae him a blink, Lest neibors might say I was saucy;

My wooer he capered as he'd been in drink, And vowed I was his dear lassie, dear lassie; And vowed I was his dear lassie !

I speered for my cousin fu' couthy asked-kindly and sweet,

Gin she had recovered her hearin',

ET. 37.] WHY, WHY TELL THY LOVER.

And how my auld shoon fitted her

shachl't feet,

185

distorted

But, Heavens! how he fell a swearin', a

swearin';

But, Heavens! how he fell a swearin'.

He begged, for guidsake, I wad be his wife, Or else I wad kill him wi' sorrow;

So e'en to preserve the poor body in life,

I think I maun wed him to-morrow, to-mor

row;

I think I maun wed him to-morrow.

WHY, why tell thy lover,

Bliss he never must enjoy?

Why, why undeceive him,

And give all his hopes the lie?
O why, while fancy, raptured, slumbers,
Chloris, Chloris all the theme,

Why, why wouldst thou cruel,

Wake thy lover from his dream?

July, 1795.